Is marijuana addictive?

[Tweety]

A couple of us were having this discussion tonight. One nurses says no it is not addictive. I said "well I've know some potheads who couldn't stop smoking, couldn't face life without pot, etc." Sounds like an addict to me.

She says it's not been proven to be physically addictive.

Actually, I'm of the belief anything can be addictive, especially if it's mood altering, or even endorphin raising.

[Q.]

Originally posted by Vsummer1

Suzy, nothing personal here, but uh... the chick comment seems pretty sexist to me. It does take TWO to tango.

Val, it was in reference to the ad which featured a female being pregnant as a result of poor decisions. Since the argument was about the validity of the ad, one-sided or not, I offered my experience on that one-sided issue.

[litepath]

In reply to the original post, I would think that THC could be addictive simply because of the receptors we have within the CNS that THC can bind to. On the otherhand, my own experience tells me that my addictive personality is my worst enemy whether it's OH-, nicotene or drinking soda. And that I have had to change my coping stratagies to overcome my addicitons along with desire and determination. Recently, I changed my attention to my diet in preparation for quitting smoking. I had no idea what was in store for me. My sugar addiction was way out of control apparently, since I got so p.o.'d at not being able to eat my regular comfort foods. WOW! had no clue that i was so addicted to something as simple as sugar. I'm not talking about spooned sugar, I'm talking about soda and sugars found in the likes of baked beans. So, I think my reaction to all of this is still psychologically based, hence the anger or agitation I experienced, but physiologically, I noticed that my energy actually increased, my B/P went down, my BM patterns changed and I have been more attentive to my studies as a result.

I am dreadfully sad to read these posts about these young girls getting pregnant. I have to admit to living an isolated life in this regard and didn't know that was occurring with the frequency suggested. I actually have never had a key to the house I'm presently renting and didn't lock my door in my last house either, so, much of my ignorance can be tied to my environment. I read alot, being in school, but really the only thing that that has changed is the content of my reads. man that makes me sad!

So, what that tells me is that I better get busy with what I can do...DO!! to help change this!!

[Rustyhammer]

Dang...All this talk makes me want to roll a fattie and watch the sunrise on a beautiful Saturday morning.

-Russell

[Jamesdotter]

"Can you think of any other untested, home-made, mood-altering substance that you self-dose, and that uses a burning carcinogen as a delivery vehicle?" Barry McCaffrey

(I have no idea who McCaffrey is!). There is a point here for people who are using MJ for recreational purposes, but I think as a medication--well, let the individual know the risks (would a terminally ill person CARE?) and let them decide.

I am definitely opposed to the use of MJ by children, but am on the fence re: adults--as long as they don't drive when or after using it. I was rear-ended once because of a pot-smoking idiot.

[mattsmom81]

I remember on cancer wards turning a blind eye (or nose) to the pot smoke in certain patient's private rooms...we were a smoking unit then so we could write the odor off to a wierd cigarette...LOL!

I believe those who are teminally ill can possibly benefit from the effects.....why not. Of course we must consider those around them...children particularly....hated those home visits when the place is full of smoke (of any kind) and lots of infants/babies. They have no choice.

[Webmaster_Jason]

---I say make it legal, just tax the hell out of it. We spend millions (billions?) on trying to remove marijuana from society. How long has the drug war been going on? Well, let me tell you it isn't working. It is just as easy to obtain as it was 20 years ago.---

There are many reasons why the government will probably never do such a thing, but one that is fairly interesting and probably overlooked much of the time is the amount of jobs the war on drugs creates for the FBI, ATF, and anyone involved with programs such as DARE (not that the program would be eliminated with legalization). Granted, if you tax the sale of it, the revenue generated would be huge and it would cut out the costs of jailing offenders and rehab (but also cut out alot of prison jobs). I know that the big tobacco companies are waiting for the day its legal and taxed because they already have fields of it growing. They even have names picked out for the different brands, I just can't remember what they were...

I also remember reading articles about the government being linked to cocaine rings in California. From what I remember it was to create jobs and keep people thinking those jobs were good for something in the war on drugs. This could explain why it is as easy to get it now as it was 20 years ago...even with the occasional huge televised bust.

In regards to that, I saw a survey of highschool students in a magazine asking how long it would take them to get their hands on marijuana...50% or so said it would take them less than 30 mins...what you can do about that I have no idea...